The Cost of Freedom - Shorts
by Purple-Martin111
Summary: Shorts from my modern day AU under the same title - After the unexpected death of her husband and infant son, Allison Cooper decides that enlisting in the U.S. Army could be just what she needs. She's good at making poor life choices but maybe this one won't be so bad. Allison has a lot to learn and her journey isn't easy but she finds healing in unexpected places.
1. Secrets

Was that Danse…?

With a dog…?

Now that was something Allison hadn't expected to see. The man standing in the field behind the barracks, dressed down to his fatigue pants and tan t-shirt, playing fetch with a large German Shepherd, certainly looked like Danse.

Allison squinted trying to focus against the midday sun. For a moment, she stood there and watched as the dog ran in full force after the ball before retrieving it and trotting happily back to… It had to be Danse.

On command the dog dropped the ball in his hand as Allison approached the pair. The ball was easily thrown into the distance and the dog darted after it once again. Upon its return, the dog spotted her and immediately abandoned its target.

A sharp whistle rang through the air followed by a string of firm commands that confirmed her suspicions. That was definitely Danse-and yet-the dog paid no heed to the Captain's austere tone. The wild look in it's eyes, the complete disregard for following commands, blatant insubordination- Oh yes, she like this dog already.

Allison knelt down to catch the dog as it galloped toward her but instead was bowled over and pinned flat on her back beneath the enthusiastic Shepard. It lapped at her face, tongue relentless in its affection. She couldn't help but giggle as she tried to cover her face and roll away. It was no use though, she was trapped.

"Leave it!" Danse's deep, authoritative voice rumbled above her halting the dog's jovial barrage.

For a second the dog just stared down at her as if contemplating whether or not to continue the onslaught of kisses.

"You better listen pup," Allison whispered and reached to scratch behind its ear, "That's the Captain speaking, he means business."

At last, the canine hopped off her, tail feveriously whipping the air, and pranced around searching for its ball.

Still snickering and wiping slobber from her face, Allison stretched out her hand and was effortlessly pulled to her feet. Danse caught her elbow as she stumbled to brush off the dirt from her pants.

Having found what it was looking for, the dog marched up to them with the ball in its mouth. It dropped the ball and sat in front of Danse. The dog beamed up at him and pawed at the ground, patiently waiting for him to throw the toy again.

"Sorry," Danse held her gaze for a moment before quickly releasing her and averting his eyes. He fidgeted, tapping his fingers against his thigh, and ran a hand through his ebony hair, "Dogmeat doesn't mind very well when he's out of uniform."

She looked down and saw the insignia stamped on the dog's collar indicating he was a military dog.

"Dogmeat?" Allison chuckled, "You named your war dog Dogmeat?"

Danse frowned and absently picked up the ball and tossed it into the field.

"He is a military dog specially trained in detecting IEDs, immobilizing enemies, and conducting search and retrieval. Dogmeat has saved countless lives out in the field."

"War dog." Allison insisted. Danse sighed and scowled in disapproval, likely fighting the urge to roll his eyes at her.

Allison watched as the dog retrieved his ball and scampered back to them. A smile played at her lips at the thought of Danse on the battlefield with a dog by his side and unconsciously muttered, "You named your war dog Dogmeat."

"Well technically he's not mine." Danse scoffed and crossed his arms, clearly annoyed by her teasing and overly simplistic evaluation of the dog. "He's government property and belongs to our unit as a whole. Most military dogs have names. It's not uncommon-"

"But you named him Dogmeat?" she cut through his bound-to-be-lecture and tilted towards him with eyebrows raised, waiting for his reply.

"Uhm...yes?" Danse was taken aback by her sudden interruption. Although he shouldn't have been, he didn't often get to finish his sentences when she was around.

"What about something more fitting for a _war dog_. Like Gunner or Rader, Chief, General, Scout, Nuke, _Captain_." Allison ticked off the names from her fingers as she went, "Any number of appropriate military names."

Danse's eyes narrowed and he pressed his mouth into a thin line. His demeanor was rapidly becoming sullen.

"I like Dogmeat." His expression was stoic and his tone flat. He was not amused.

"Of course you do." Her grin grew as she basked in his irritation and she leaned in to nudge his shoulder.

Danse quickly stepped back, avoiding her approach. "Are you mocking me Cooper?"

"No! Absolutely not. I would never be so insolent." She stood up straight and feigned offense.

"Mhm." There it was again, the _Danse_ eyeroll, "I'm sure."

Allison snorted and reached down to pat Dogmeat on the head.

"Never would have guessed you were a dog person. Or any kind of animal person for that matter."

"And why do you say that?" It wasn't a request, but rather a demand, _explain yourself soldier_.

"I don't know Danse, you're-" she looked up and gestured to his overall appearance, "-this big, gruff military man. Not exactly the soft and cuddly type."

Allison noticed the expression that flashed across the Captain's face and quickly added, "I'm just surprised that's all."

"That's an unfair assessment of my personality." Danse seemed genuinely offended by her statement, "There are a great number of things you don't know about me."

"Like what?"

She jumped at the opportunity to gain more information about the straitlaced Captain.

"I like cats too."

Allison was about to say that he couldn't be both a cat person and dog person but a thought occurred to her… The feral cats.

Someone had been tending to the feral cats the roamed the base; feeding them, putting out makeshift shelters, caring for them if they became sick, ensure they weren't _overpopulating._

"Have you been taking care of the feral cat colony?" Allison's eyes lit up and she seemed ready to burst as she bounced on the balls of her feet.

Dance rubbed the back of his neck but didn't answer. He seemed to take a sudden, astute interest in the dog rolling and barking in the grass.

Allison's eyes widened with glee, "Oh my God! You are totally feeding the feral cats!"

Danse looked down and shifted his weight between his feet and Allison didn't miss the color that crept up his neck and splashed across his face. The spirited canine came bounding toward them. He whined and pick up his ball again and nudged it into Danse's leg before dropping it at his feet.

"I'll take your silence as confirmation," Allison gloated, bouncing and vibrating with giddiness.

Still Danse said nothing. His boots appeared to be exceptionally interesting.

"Did you name them too?!" she howled and elbowed him in the ribs in jest.

"Cooper!" Her name was a warning. Don't push it.

His head snapped up and-oh if looks could kill! She would certainly be cold on ground by now. Every muscle in his face was taut and his brows were drawn so deep in a scowl that Allison was sure it would become permanent. The normal warmth of his muddy brown eyes had become dark and full of fiery contempt that should have burned her alive.

The laughter that bubble up from her gut was uncontrollable and had her nearly doubled over as tears streamed down her face. This was priceless and she would relish every ounce of this moment because it had been far too long since she had had a good belly laugh.

Allison didn't know which was more satisfying, knowing that Danse had war dog named Dogmeat or watching him squirm in embarrassment that she had discovered his little secret.

He turned his gaze back to the ground to continue staring at his feet and dragged his palm over his face.

"You aren't going to let this go are you?"

No amount of facepalming or huffing and puffing or embarrassment from the Captain could wipe away the huge shit-eating grin that was plastered across Allison's face, but somehow she managed to compose herself for a moment to choke out a response.

"Nope. Not a chance."

Danse sighed in defeat.

"Outstanding."


	2. i carry your heart

Chapter title: "i carry your heart with me" - EE Cummings

* * *

"Cooper?"

A strange sound had drawn Danse's attention to the woman, sitting on the ledge of the bluff just beyond the tree line. He hadn't expected to see her out this early. At this time of day, it was usually just him pounding the dirt up to the summit.

"Danse!" Her back was to him but in the low light he could see her shoulders tense as she dragged the palms of her hands across her face. "Y-you startled me! I… uhm- I was just…"

Was she crying?

The leaves and twigs crunched under his shoes as he walked toward the edge of the bluff that ran along the the marching trail leading to the training grounds in the foothills. Cooper reached for the coat that had been haphazardly tossed to the side.

"Is something wrong?"

Stupid question, of course something was wrong. She had probably come out here to be alone and here he was encroaching on her personal space.

"I was just leaving." Cooper pushed her hands against the ground in an effort to stand. Her back still turned to him, she didn't dare look at him, lest she reveal her vulnerable state.

"Mind if I join you?" he stood just behind her and he considered that he should have kept going but now that he was here, he didn't want her leave.

She stopped her accent to her feet and tilted her head slightly, gauging him out of the corner of her eye, her back rigid and arms anchored to the gray rocks.

"Uhm," she sighed in resignation, "Yeah, I guess."

Slowly, cautiously Danse lowered himself to the ground next to her and draped his legs over the ledge. He studied her for a moment, eyes taking in every detail of her silhouette, before looking out over Fort Hagen and toward the Boston skyline. Her face was splotchy and her unkempt honey colored hair hung in her eyes. Tell tale signs that he should have kept running.

"What are you doing out here?" His tone was soft and gentle. He was genuinely concerned about her.

In the recent weeks she had become increasingly distant. Her typically vivacious disposition replaced by a hollowness he didn't recognize. Cooper had stopped attending their morning conditioning and even though she was still reporting in daily, she had made herself scarce around base. Danse suspected she was holed up in her room in the barracks or haunting her house in nearby Concord.

But why?

It didn't sit right with him. Whatever was bothering her, he wanted to know about it. He wanted to reach out and touch her, put his hand on her shoulder, let her know that he was here and willing to listen. But he held back, she would talk to him when she was ready.

Her nose wrinkled and she narrowed her eyes, as if contemplating a witty remark before she relaxed and gestured out toward the horizon, "The world may be going to shit but the sunrise is still breathtaking."

The aversion to answering his question did not go unnoticed by the Captain but he decided to leave it be and not prod.

The sun was beginning to penetrate through the clouds that hung low on the horizon, turning the muted blues and grays into a slurry of pink and orange. The crisp bite of twilight slowly dissipating as they were bathed in the warm light of morning.

They sat in silence as the sun slowly graced them with the promise of a new day. But that was ok. Silence was like an old friend to Danse. He held it in high regard, feeling that it allowed for examination of the deepest parts of oneself and communicated the uninhibited expression of the soul without the need for sound.

"I couldn't sleep." Cooper's voice finally broke through, "I just couldn't stop thinking about…" she looked at him as she trailed off, searching his brown eyes for answers he didn't have. Whatever she wanted, whatever she needed, whatever she was looking for, he wanted to give it to her but he didn't know what exactly she was hoping to find.

It seemed like a lifetime passed between them, one filled with hardship and heartache. A mutual understanding that the world had become cruel and unforgiving.

The moment ended and she turned her attention back to the kaleidoscope in the sky and muttered, "I came out here, trying to clear my head."

Cooper looked down at her hands and balled up her jacket. Squeezing and releasing. Danse remained quiet, knowing that silence was the best remedy to elicit the truth.

"How do you deal with it," she didn't look up, just continued to stare at her hands.

Danse was confused by her words. His brows came together as the cogs turned in his head, trying to decipher what he was missing here.

"What do you mean? Deal with what?"

Cooper's hand moved and she rubbed at the scar and black letters etched into her skin on her right arm.

'i carry your heart with me i carry it in my heart' His eyes trailed over the words.

"How do I move on?" Her voice barely audible, a whisper that hung like dead weight in the air.

Oh…

The gears clicked and he understood.

This wasn't first time he had found himself sitting a little too close, sharing stories of a personal nature.

Danse had told Cooper what had happened to his childhood friend a few days ago. Killed in Iraq 13 years ago because he made the wrong call. The only person he had ever truly cared about. The loss weighed heavy on him. The wound seemed insurmountable. It left a hole in his heart that seemed to never fully heal. There were still times that it pulled and tore at him, aching for the young life, gone too soon.

Not long ago, Cooper had sought him out, seeking counsel and needing his friendship above all else. She had revealed that, even though some time had passed since their deaths, she still struggled with the loss of her husband and son. Danse thought that if he confessed his own struggles, it would help. Help her to know he understood, that she wasn't alone. Help to ease the pain.

Apparently it hadn't had the intended effect.

A shaking breath escaped Cooper's lips and Danse looked over just in time to see her wiping away the tears that streaked down her cheeks and trying to hide her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry." she breathed through her fingers.

Without thinking Danse tugged her hands away and brushed away the tears that still spilled from her eyes.

"You don't have to hide from me." The words were out before his brain could tell him to stop.

The overwhelming desire to comfort her and the treacherous twisting in his stomach at the feeling of her skin beneath the pads of thumbs was entirely too intimate. It reminded him that he had become exceedingly close with her. He enjoyed her presence and missed her when she wasn't around. It made him heartsick seeing her like this. Danse worried about her, _cared_ for her, and it scared the hell out of him.

He knew it was unprofessional, but did he care…?

No. Not one goddamn bit.

Cooper drew up her knees and shifted so she was facing him. And there was that expectant look again. She searched his eyes, his face, _him_ , for answers.

He felt the guilt churn in his gut. The last thing he had wanted was to cause her more undue stress.

With a sigh, he swallowed and decided he would take a stab at this. How had he dealt with the loss of his friend? The closest person to family he had ever had? Not well.

But this was Cooper and he would attempt to amend this.

"I don't know that you ever really _move on_. But everyday you wake up and you make a conscious choice to keep breathing… to keep living." Danse hesitated, this wasn't one of his strong suits and healthy coping mechanisms weren't exactly something the Captain was known for, but he continued nonetheless.

"Eventually the grief subsides and you learn how keep going without them. Little by little, you find yourself putting the pieces back together." He paused and absently stroked the stubble at his chin as he weighed the gravity of the situation in his response.

Danse brushed away the unruly hair that stuck to her face and trailed his fingers down the the curve of her neck. His hand came to rest on her shoulder as he drew her in, she was so close. He could feel her warmth and her breath against his face.

"You don't have stop loving the ones you lost to continue loving yourself," he whispered.

Cooper breathed out a strangled sort of sob but Danse didn't dare look away. He was met the a despondent look. Her eyes glistened as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. The mossy green flecks in the earthy hazel gleamed as the sun caught her eye. He could feel the grief radiating from her and he was desperate to steal it all away. Shield her from the pain and the cavern of emptiness that loss carved into its victims.

Words. Emotions. Danse had never been very good at any of it and he felt inadequate, unqualified to deal with this, but he would sure as hell try.

Cooper sighed and shifted closer, filling the space between them. She leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder.

He wasn't sure what to say and he was filled with nervousness that crept and pricked across his skin, but despite his doubt he put his arm around her and pulled her closer. Her body trembled slightly against him and his chest ached for her. He knew what this was like and he wished more than anything that she didn't have to feel it too.

"Danse-"

"It's alright Allison," he whispered into her her hair as he slid his other arm around her and pulled her into a full embrace, "I'm here."

An explanation was not owed to him.

Cooper leaned into him as she let herself go, burying her face into his chest and slipping her arms around his waist. He held her close, softly stroking her back and running his fingers through her hair, and for once, he didn't fight the feeling intimacy that consumed him.

Danse closed his eyes as his head came to rest against hers and he desperately hoped that she didn't feel the pounding of his heart against his ribs.

Maybe he was wrong and maybe it wasn't appropriate or even proper, but God it felt right to have her in his arms.


	3. Catch-Phrase

"Mnm," A mumble of contentment reverberated from Danse's chest as he pull her closer.

Allison inched towards him, the warmth of his body drew her in and filled her with a sense of completeness. She closed her eyes and nuzzled against him as her fingers brushed against the stubble on his cheek, along his jawline, and down his neck.

When she opened her eyes, she should have expected the stupid smile that slipped across his lips as he opened his mouth.

"No." Her tone was flat, eyes hard as she pinned him under her gaze. She know exactly what petulant utterance was about to escape his lips.

His idiotic grin only grew wider.

"Danse, don't you dare." She propped herself up on her elbow, her eyes narrowed, and pointedly jabbed her finger in his face, abandoning all semblance of intimacy, "Don't you dare say it!"

He leaned toward her and took her face in his hands, most definitely about to shout it in her face, and she could see the crinkle of the lines around his eyes as the wild grin eclipsed his features. Allison went to slap her hand over his mouth, she knew what was coming, but he batted her fingers away and-

Too late.

"Ad Victoriam," he crowed.

It left his lips like a whip cracking the air, slapping her upside the head.

The smug look of victory swept across his face. The satisfied sheen in his eyes told Allison everything she needed to know; Danse would have his cake and eat it too.

Allison facepalmed and tried to scoot away, irritated that of all the things to say, he insisted on saying _that._ But his arms enclosed around her and she was trapped.

"Why?" she demanded as she pushed against his chest trying to get away, "Why do you have to say it _every goddamn time_?"

"To the victor belongs the spoils," he growled as he continued to hold her despite her best efforts to get away.

His gloating tone was meant to be declaration a of triumph, claiming all that was his, but Allison could see the shift in his expression as Danse continued to smile at her. The conceited look in his eyes was dissolving into one of warmth and affection.

"I'm not a _spoil_ of war," she frowned wiggled against him, desperately trying to told onto her bitterness.

"I disagree," he whispered and trailed his fingers down her spine, his hand resting on the small of her back. Allison could feel the the annoyance melting away as warmth embedded itself within her and goosebumps pricked at her skin.

In a last-ditch effort, she half-heartedly squirmed and tried to escape but Danse only held her closer. The hum of his chuckle filled the space around them and Allison felt it more than she heard it. He rubbed his nose against her cheek and his lips brushed against hers. She sighed in defeat and abandoned her feeble attempts to get away.

Danse's fingers swept across her skin as he slid his hands into her hair and pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her softly, sweetly... tenderly stealing her breath away.

When they broke apart, her hazel eyes caught his and her heart beat against her chest like the pitter-patter of rain on a tin roof. The muddy brown of his eyes full of unadulterated adoration that burned her up and left her aching.

Danse brushed the wayward strands of hair from her eyes and traced his fingers down her jawline as she came to rest against his shoulder and she lazily stroked her fingers along the firm lines of his chest and stomach.

"I love you," he muttered as he ran his fingers through her hair.

The words were like a secret, a whisper etched into his deep timbre for her and her alone. This wasn't the first time he had said it but it still tugged at her heart made her breath catch in her throat like she had forgotten how to breathe.

And even though, Allison never did understand the asinine battlecry that Danse and the commander tossed around like a band of vigilante brothers, having to hear it was a small price she would gladly pay if it meant she never had to leave his side.

"I love you too," she murmured into the sensitive skin at the crook of his neck making him sigh her name.

Allison decided as she settled, relaxing into him and listening to thrumming of his heart, that she would never tire of this. She belonged by his side, he was the half that made her whole.


	4. Lights of Boston

**_A/N:_**

 _The title and song reference in this is James McMurtry's, 'Lights of Cheyenne'_

 _As always, not canon compliant_

 _Wednesday was the hard deadline but it's past 3am on Thursday and even though it will never been good enough, it will have to do._

 _I swore I wasn't going to write about this homophone but we were sitting around the fire pit, listening to James McMurtry and drinking beer, because that's what you do when you live in Texas, burn shit, drink Lone Star, and listen to country music._

 _And I just couldn't help myself._

* * *

 _"And she's got a cowboy problem_  
 _And this last one's a sight_  
 _All dressed up like gun smoke_  
 _for Saturday night."_  
 _-Lights of Cheyenne, James McMurtry-_

"What are we listening to?"

Danse watched as Cooper screwed up her face and gestured to the small speaker next to his chair before reaching for her beer.

The night was dark and the air still held the chill of winter. The only light illuminating Cooper's frown radiated from the burn barrell nestled between their rusted patio chairs.

The recent bombings had taken out the major power plants which led to rolling blackouts. So tonight the lights of Boston twinkled in the distance but up here in the northern suburbs, they were blanketed in darkness until power was restored to their section of the grid.

"Bluegrass," Danse continued observing Cooper as he spoke. She leaned back in her chair and tossed her head back as she took a swig of the amber liquid. "It's-"

"I know what Bluegrass is," she interrupted, her head lolled toward him and their eyes met. Even in the firelight, Danse could see patches of green shimmering in the earthy brown like moss on the forest floor. "It just sounds like something my grandparents would listen to."

Danse looked away and exhaled heavily as his brows knitted together. He refused to stoop to her level of eye rolling .

How exactly had she convinced him to climb up on the roof of the fueling station? Something about relaxing and taking a load off, but so far he had sat in the derelict metal chair soaking in the cold air while all Cooper had managed to do was criticize his choice of drink and taste in music.

"I don't know why I allow you to drag me along on your little escapades." It was rhetorical, muttering more to himself, but he was sure Cooper had a response nonetheless.

"Because I'm interesting," she angled toward him and out of the corner of his eye, he could see her crooked smile and the brazen look on her face, "And you like me."

"That's debatable." Danse retorted, perhaps a little too quickly. He folded his arms across his chest and tried to narrow his sights on the Boston skyline instead of the flippant woman sitting next to him.

"Oh the Captain's got jokes now," Cooper snickered and playfully nudged his shoulder.

Danse wouldn't have tolerated such behavior from anyone else. But then again, he wouldn't be _here_ with anyone else.

Cooper was the epitome of disobedience and unprofessional conduct. Headstrong and stubborn, demanding justice and unrelenting until righteousness was served to the wicked and the damned. She was like a force of nature and for some reason, Danse found himself being pulled along, following in her wake of condemnation.

"Come on grandpa, you're not that old," Cooper teased, "Can we please listen to something else?"

"Fine," he grumbled and rummaged for the phone in his pocket.

Danse shuffled through his music library until he found something he thought Cooper might find suitable. There was a moment of silence before the strum of the guitar picked up.

The sound seemed uncanny in the stillness around them. Curfews had been instated when the war breached American soil and at this time there were no cars on the road, no one out on the street, only silence and Cooper's unending sarcasm to greet his ears.

Cooper sat with her elbow resting on the arm of the chair and her chin propped in her hand. She listened intently and absorbed the music, while Danse anxiously awaited her review.

"Country?" she quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Mhm." He waited and observed, studying her face for the final verdict, unsure of why he sought her approval.

Cooper swallowed the last of her beer and threw the empty bottle in the fire before she reached for another bottle from the cooler between them. Danse watched her struggle with the twist top before offering his hand to help. She scrunched up her nose and pursed her lips, balking at the idea of surrender.

"Give it here," he reached for the bottle and waved his fingers at her but she turned away, squinting her eyes at him in defiance over her shoulder, "Cooper. Don't be difficult."

With one final sour look, Cooper grunted and shifted around, finally handing over the beer.

Danse could feel her eyes on him as she asked, "Who is this?" and he easily twisted off the cap and tossed it into the flames.

"James McMurtry," he replied and passed the bottle back to her.

The bottle tilted up as she took a swig, "I like it."

As much as he tried, Danse couldn't stop the grin that slipped across his lips at the appraisal. He quickly grabbed his drink and gulped it down, trying to hide his smug satisfaction.

The bottle rolled in Cooper's hand before she brought it to her lips again, slowly sipping its contents. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts as she mulled over the melody. Her fingers idly traced the puckered skin of the scar that cut across her neck and down over her collarbone before disappearing beneath her shirt.

The movement made his conceited smile falter as Danse reflected on how Cooper had obtained the blemish.

Not long ago, he had asked about the distinctive mark with the jagged edges that bit at her skin like teeth tearing into flesh. Initially Cooper had told him she was mugged at knifepoint and cut when she fought back. It seemed like a reasonable explanation so he accepted the falsehood as truth without question.

The next evening had found them alone in the armory. It was late when Cooper had approached him and confessed the reality of the fatal accident that had claimed her family and left behind the loathsome scar as an ever present reminder.

Cooper had spoken nonchalantly, her expression resolute in the face of tragedy. But In the end, she let the heartache seep through the cracks when she told him, _"I woke up and was devastated. So I ripped out the stitches and clawed at my throat, hoping, praying that maybe I could still bleed to death."_

Although, Danse had remained steadfast - ever the model soldier - and told her he was sorry for her loss, he could feel the tugging and pulling of his own internal wounds. It was then he understood that there was more to this woman than he had originally thought and perhaps he had misjudged her after all.

"Bluegrass, country, you're just full of surprises." Cooper's voice dragged him out of his introspection and he blinked away the ghosts of his past and forced himself to be present in the here and now.

"I don't like all country." Not all country music was created equal, Danse knew this and Cooper should too.

"No?" Her lighthearted tone cradled his heart as the constricting thoughts of loss ebbed away.

Cooper's eyes quested for his muddy brown in the flickering half light of the fire and Danse could see the rapture hidden amongst the inquisition in her hazel irises.

"I'm not a fan of what comes out of corporate Nashville," he scoffed, smirking because Danse absolutely intended to mock those city boys who masqueraded as cowboys, "I don't particularly enjoy listening to good ol' boys whine about their girls and their trucks."

"So what's this?"

Cooper humored him and basked with him in his pompous analysis of the country music genre.

"Texas country." Bittersweet memories of simpler times scrolled through his thoughts.

Memories of dance halls and whisky and girls in pearl snap shirts and boots against the sand-slick dancefloor.

The little voice in his head warned at him to be careful, don't get too close, but perhaps he was a careless man because he chose to ignore it.

"I like traditional, old country. Outlaw or Texas country. Red Dirt." It seemed like an inconsequential truth but it made him feel vulnerable like he had revealed too much.

Uncertainty was grinding in his gut at his candidness and Danse was unceremoniously reminded of the incident with the dog when Cooper had been all shits and giggles. Now, he sat and waited for her reaction. Waited for her to laugh at him and crack a joke but she remained silent, staring out into the night.

Insecurity scratch at his skull as his fingers thrummed against his thigh and his eyes wandered through the blackness and watched the distant flicker of candlelight in the darkened windows of Concord homes.

Finally Cooper smiled and looked at him with wide eyes alight with merriment, "Alright cowboy, you know how to two-step?"

Without a second thought, Danse swallowed his misgivings and stood, his chair scraped against the metal roof as he stretched out his hand, beckoning for Cooper to join him. There was no hesitation and a grin the size of Texas spread across her face as she took his hand.

Danse pulled her up and led her to the open space behind their chairs. He spun her around and as she came back to him, his fingers closed around hers while his other hand came to rest on her back, just below her shoulder blade.

"You know what you're doing?" He was serious.

But Cooper hadn't stopped grinning, "Not really."

"It's like walking. But don't pick your feet up, it's more of a shuffle," he instructed "Listen for the beat, _quick, quick, slow, slow_. Follow my lead and you'll be fine."

A giddy sort of smile graced her lips but there was mutiny written clear as day in her eyes. Danse held her still, he knew how she was about control, they weren't so different in that regard, but if she wanted this she would have to concede.

Her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed in opposition. Make me, the silent dare bounced around in the space between them.

"Cooper." The clip of his deep timbre made it clear this was non-negotiable.

"Alright!" she huffed, "Fine. Understood Sir."

Before she could continue with her taunting, Danse yanked her closer so they were chest to chest and pressed his hand into her back to straighten her stance before falling in step with the tune.

His fingers tapped the beat on her back.

 _Quick, Quick, Slow, Slow._

Cooper tripped over her feet a few times but quickly picked up the steps and fell into rhythm with him. He took her hands and spun her, quickly pulling her back and guiding her to step around behind him. Her hand traced along his lower back and he led her into another set of spins before they fell into step again.

Danse spun and twirled her and they moved in unison as he easily led her through the movements. Cooper's laughter echoed through the stillness around them the entire time.

They carried on like that for a few minutes before the song came to a close and he spun her one last time.

"Your kinda good at this." She was breathless as she came back to him.

The tones of the next song were softer and slower.

 _'Look off down the highway at the glittering lights'_

"I was stationed at Fort Hood for a couple years back in the day." Cooper's honey colored hair was tied back but a few wayward strands breathed across her face and Danse wrote off the fluttering in his chest to overexertion when her eyes flicked up to his. "There isn't much to do in Killeen, TX."

 _'Like windshield glass on the shoulder tonight'_

Danse was unexpectedly nervous when Cooper didn't fill the silence with her incessant chatter, and he felt the need to ramble.

"There was a dance hall close to base. We would spend most of our off time there."

 _'As the diesels come grinding on up from the plains'_

"Is that how you picked up girls?" she winked and flashed that crooked smile again.

He tried to answer but Cooper slipped her hand over his mouth before the stupid, half-baked response escaped his lips.

 _'All bunched up like pearls on a string'_

"You know what, I don't want to know about how teenage Danse picked up girls."

The corners of his mouth quirked upwards and he was thankful for her insight.

 _'And I guess time don't mean nothin' not nothin' at all'_

Cooper brushed back the hair that had fallen across his forehead and his skin pricked as her fingers lightly trailed down his neck before resting on his shoulder.

 _'And out on the horizon the broken stars fall'_

As they swayed and stepped to the music, Cooper shifted closer and leaned into him, their chests touching again, and her head settled on his shoulder. The night was cool but Danse suddenly felt hot as heat spread like wildfire from within and crept across his skin.

 _'Old broken stars they fall down on the land'_

"You're not what I expected." Cooper muttered and he could feel the warmth of her breath against his neck.

 _'And get mixed together with the lights of Cheyenne'_

It took all of his strength to focus on her words and resist the urge to pull her into his arms and just hold her and Danse thought, the same could be said about her.

"And what did you expect?"

"I'm not sure," she hesitated a moment, choosing her words carefully, "You walk around fearless, like you own the world. You're bossy and arrogant and rude-"

His cheeks burned and his brows furrowed at the accusation and Danse tried to interrupt but her head snapped up as she raised her hand and planted her feet on the ground.

"Hold on cowboy," she scoffed, "Don't get your panties in a knot, just let me finish."

With a grunt and a scowl, he motioned for her to continue.

"On the outside you're like an impenetrable wall," she held his gaze and she probed the warmth his muddy brown eyes, testing the water as she relaxed and fell into step, "But it's a lie."

The nervousness clawed its way back in as her hand drifted to his shoulder again.

"I see through it, I see you," again she moved closer and settled against him, " You're kind and compassionate and care deeply about your fellow man. You like country music and dogs and you're really freaking smart."

And now there was nothing to blame for the way his heart hammered in his chest.

"You hide behind the dutiful soldier. You hide your vulnerability." He glanced down at her, and it was like someone had stolen the oxygen from the air when he looked in her eyes. "Why?"

 _'You stand in the sky with your feet on the ground'_

Danse ran his hand up the line of her back, his fingers finding their way to the curve of her neck. The firelight flickered across her face and reflected off her hazel eyes. Her honey brown hair blew in the wind and had those freckles across the bridge of her nose always been there?

 _'Never suspectin' a thing'_

He felt her lean onto her toes and whispered in his ear, "What are you hiding from Danse?"

 _'But if the sky were to move you might never be found'_

Everything in him screamed to stop, toss her aside and get the hell out of there. But instead he tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear and he meant to pull away but his hand pressed against the line of her jaw and his thumb caressed her cheek.

 _'Never be heard from again'_

"Cooper-"

 _POP!_

Suddenly, they were bathed in light.

The breaker across the street crackled and sparked as power surged through it. Cooper jumped and let out a startled yelp and Danse sucked in his breath through clenched teeth and he waited for his heart to start beating again.

The security system started wailing, the sudden surge in energy tripping the sensors.

"Shit!" Cooper cursed and ran off down the ladder to reset the system. Danse grasped at the air, but like trying to hold water, she slipped through his fingers and just like that she was gone. Her warmth quickly replaced by the cool night air.

Danse just stood there wide-eyed and slack jawed trying to comprehend what the hell just happened.

A string of profanity hit his ears as Cooper punched in codes trying to disarm the system. Danse snapped his mouth shut and shook his head as he fished out his phone and fumbled to turn the music off. He willed himself to walk over to the edge of roof towards the city, trying to make sense of the mess in his head.

Downtown was still lit up and everywhere around him was flooded in bright light but most of east Boston was cast in shadows now.

He rubbed his forehead trying to straighten out his thoughts.

Danse had often found his mind wandering back to Cooper, but she was insubordinate, loud and audacious, challenging him constantly. Her name frequently appeared on incident reports and if there was trouble, she seemed to be the catalyst. She was a pain in the ass… and she was- Like a beautiful disaster.

It was no surprise that Danse expected to be angry with her, argue with her, strong-arm her into obedience but this… He hadn't expected this. The tenderness, the desire to be close to her-

"Danse?" Cooper waved her hand in front of his face, "Hello? You in there?"

It seemed as if she appeared out of nowhere and his muscles tensed, startled that she had managed to sneak up on him.

"I-uhm…" Unable to form his thoughts into words, Danse stared at her for a moment. He hadn't even heard the alarm turn off or noticed that she had switched off the spotlights. When did she come back up here?

"You ok?" The fire sputtered and popped in the barrel behind them as her hand touched his shoulder.

He blinked and stared as his eyes adjusted to the influx of light before attempting to respond.

"Yeah… uh sorry t-the lights," he stammered, "It just... caught me off guard."

For a moment there was silence as Cooper stood next to him. She shuffled her feet and shoved her hands in her pockets, clearly feeling just as uneasy as he did.

"I'm sorry." Cooper stared at the ground as she mumbled the apology, but for what, Danse wasn't sure.

"What for?" It felt like he should be the one apologizing.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," her tone was soft as she shifted her weight and continued staring at her feet. "It's just… you remind me of Nate sometimes."

It felt as if he had been drenched in ice water, "I see."

He hadn't expected that either, but he should have. Although he knew little to nothing about the man, he could understand why Cooper would make the connection.

Danse fidgeted and tapped his fingers against his thigh as he tried to think of all possible means of escape from this situation. Only problem was, Cooper had the keys to the truck.

"No," Her brows pulled down into a frown as her hand rested on the inside of his arm halting his tapping. Cooper had picked up on his nervous habit and she would gently press her fingers against his arm until he stopped.

"It's not a bad thing. Nate was the same way. He wanted the world to see that he was strong, a soldier, but underneath it all that's not who he really was."

She smiled up at him and ran her fingers along the inside of his arm seeking to reassure him.

But Danse was still trying to make sense of what just happened. Trying to process the events and compartmentalize how he felt about it. Cooper… Cooper was a complication. A beautiful, obstinate, complication who still belonged to another man...

"Stop it." Like a hot knife through butter, Cooper cut off his pessimistic thought process.

"Everyone has a few skeletons in the closet." There was empathy in her voice but she also begged, "Please don't over analyse this."

How had he allowed her to get this close? To anticipate his thoughts and actions. To understand and _know_ him. Despite her intrepid nature, Cooper hadn't come crashing through his walls, rather she had been slowly, carefully tearing them down, brick by brick, without him even realizing what she was doing.

"It's getting late." Unsure of how to proceed, he figured the best plan of action was to leave, "We should get going."

Danse helped Cooped gathered up their things and doused the flames with the melted ice from the cooler.

As he surveyed the area to ensure nothing was left behind, he felt Cooper's hand slipped into his, her fingers threading together with his. Danse knew he should have pulled away, put a stop to this here and now. Not allowed for the lines to blur but he realized the lines had started to blur a long time ago.

And if he was being honest, he liked the way her hand felt in his.

"Come on cowboy, let's go home."

Warmth was pooling within him again as Cooper pulled him toward the ladder and when he caught her gaze, her eyes were fixed on the skyline, hazel irises aglow with the lights of Boston.

Danse smiled and dared to dream that one day, when the war was over, he would do this right. He would take her to the Texas dance halls of his youth, to see the Hill Country and the Texas sky at night where a billion stars glittered like tiny lights into an endless horizon. He would take her away from the heartache of this place and show her all the things her eyes had never seen.

He dared to dream.

Dream a dream that would likely never come true.


End file.
